THE GUIDE - The Rough Guide to Myanmar - page 269

ARRIVAL AND INFORMATION: MEIKTILA
By bus and pick-up The bus station is just northeast of the clocktower at the northern end
of town, although services usually also drop off passengers along the main road. Arriving,
there are plenty of motorbike taxis available to ferry you across town, although the place is
small enough that you could just walk. Agents selling bus tickets can be found all along the
roadrunningeastfromtheclocktower-OscaratRainbowTravels( 06426093)isahelpful
source of information.
Destinations Bagan (1 daily at 10.30pm; 3hr 30min); Lashio (5 daily; 10-11hr, with some
services continuing on to the Chinese border at Muse); Magwe (2 daily; 4hr 30min); Man-
dalay (7 daily; 3hr); Naypyitaw (7 daily; 3hr); Sittwe (1 daily; 26hr); Taungoo (4 daily; 5hr);
Taunggyi(3-4daily;4hr);Yangon(6daily;7hrviathenewExpressway,9-10hrviaoldhigh-
way).
By train The railway station is more centrally located than the bus station, just southeast of
the market, although it's situated on a small branch line with limited services. To reach Yan-
gon, Mandalay or Lake Inle it's much easier to go to nearby Thazi - regular pick-ups run
from the bus station (45min), leaving when full - and pick up a train there.
Services ThereareATMsattheCBBank,nexttoRainbowTravels,attheAGDBankoppos-
ite, and the Ayeyarwady Bank. Both the hotels listed have wi-fi, as does the Pan Nu Yaung
restaurant.
GETTING AROUND
By motorbike taxi Meiktila is easily walkable, although there are plenty of motorbike taxis
(identifiable by their drivers' official jackets) around town. Count on K500-1000 per jour-
ney.
ACCOMMODATION
HoneyHotel PanChanSt,nearthelake 06425755. Medium-sizedhotelinapeacefulspot
overlooking the lake. Rooms (all large with a/c and - in theory if not always in practice - hot
water)areabitgrubbybutperfectlyokforanight,ifyoudon'tmindthe roc k-hardmattresses
and feral dogs in the street outside. $5 extra gets you a TV and minibar. $25
WunzinHotel Taw Koane Quarter 064 23848 or 064 23559, mountpleasanthotelmy-
anmar.com . In a quiet location just across the lake (and next to the one and only court of the
Meiktila Tennis Club), this seriously overpriced place is only really worth considering in the
unlikelyeventthatthe Honey isfull.Thetattyrooms(someofwhichactuallyappeartoslope
downhill)com ew itha/c,hotwater(innotverycleanbathrooms)andsomespectacularlyran-
dom furniture. $45